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If you’ve ever diluted and used Tangie Laundry Paste you know it seems quite thin, like water, especially compared to the “traditional” brands of laundry soap. Let me assure you, thin like water is the correct consistency for diluted Tangie Laundry Paste.Ever heard the saying “Thin to Win”? :P

Do you know what makes laundry detergent thick? In case you are curious, let me share some interesting details with you.A large number of thickeners, mostly polymers, are used in the cosmetic and personal care industry.They not only affect the rheological profile of the formulation but also influence application of the product,water sensitivity of the formulation, and delivery of the active ingredients. 1

Polymers make stuff thick. Thick is not always necessary but rather something we have grown accustomed too in many products.

So it’s a good question to ask, “Are polymers safe?” The answer is a definite MAYBE.

Ok, so what is a polymer?There are two types of polymers: synthetic and natural.

Synthetic polymers are derived from petroleum oil, and made by scientists and engineers.Examples of synthetic polymers include nylon, polyethylene, polyester, Teflon, and epoxy.

Natural polymers occur in nature and can be extracted. They are often water-based.Examples of naturally occurring polymers are silk, wool, DNA, cellulose and proteins. 2

Polymers are made up of many many molecules all strung together to form really long chains(and sometimes more complicated structures, too.What makes polymers so fun is that how they act depends on what kinds of molecules they're made up of and how they're put together.The properties of anything made out of polymers really reflect what's going on at the ultra-tiny (molecular) level.

Things that are made of polymers look, feel, and act depending on how their atoms and molecules are connected,as well as which ones we use to begin with!

Some are rubbery, like a bouncy ball, some are sticky and gooey, and some are hard and tough, like a skateboard. 3

Did that help you understand? Not really? Ok, may this will help....

Have you ever wondered how fun toys like Silly Putty, Gak and Slime are made? It's the properties of polymers, certain kinds of large molecules,that make these products bouncy, slimy, stretchy, breakable, hard, soft, sticky, moldable—and just plain fun to play with.

A very common thickener found in many household & body products is DEA (diethanolamine).The Skin Deep database for cosmetic safety gave this ingredient an “F” rating. DEA has already been restricted in the European Union…too bad our FDA doesn’t regulate cosmetic products that closely.Some examples of polymeric thickeners include:

Carbopol Aqua SF-2 (Acrylates Crosspolymer 4, 32% solids) by Lubrizol

Rheomer 33 (Polyacrylate 33, 29% latex solids) by Solvay Novecare

Eliclear 4U (Acrylates Copolymer) by Seppic

Methocel 40-101 (Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose) by Dow Chemical

It might be apparent that these “extra” ingredients are unnecessary, especially in a product that comes in contact with our skin.

Does the thickness of a liquid product mean that much to you?

If your answer is “Yes”, then maybe Tangie Laundry Paste is not for you and that’s ok. Not every product is good for everyone. The belief in my personal AND business life is that I can do more with less.That carries through into my formulations. I do not and will not use an “unnecessary” ingredients,therefore you will not find a thicker added to our Laundry Paste, EVER!

My purpose with this blog today:

To advise you that our diluted our Laundry Paste will be a thin, watery consistency.

Let you know you are getting the correct consistency from our product and why.

Help you feel confident that the ingredients we use are natural and not petroleum based

Our ‘A’ rating from Environmental Working Group is a nice backup to all this .4

I hope you found this interesting.If there are other questions you have about Tangie products or the company, please contact me.I would love to hear from you.